Many people have died due to extreme heat in France.

VTV.vn - French Energy Minister Maud Bregeon said on May 26 that seven people have died in the country in connection with the extreme heatwave, either directly or indirectly.

People seek refuge from the heat along the banks of the Seine River in Paris, France, on May 25, 2026 (Photo: AP)

According to the French National Meteorological Agency (Meteo France), May 26th became the hottest May day on record in the country's history. The national heat index (measuring the average temperature across France) reached 24.8°C – according to preliminary data from Meteo France at 5 PM on June 26th (local time). This temperature surpassed the 24.6°C recorded on May 25th, marking the hottest May day ever recorded nationwide.

French Energy Minister Bregeon said that five of the seven people who died in this extreme heatwave died from drowning in lakes, rivers, or beaches.

The French government has asked local authorities to take measures to protect people during sporting events, Bregeon said.

People cool themselves with water sprayed from fountains in Paris, France, on May 26, 2026 (Photo: AP)

France has experienced above-average temperatures since May 23rd. Meteo France issued an orange alert for most of Brittany, with temperatures forecast to reach 36°C by the afternoon of May 26th.

This extreme heatwave is expected to continue on May 28th and 29th, Meteo France stated on its website.

France experienced an extreme heatwave on May 26th as a heat dome in North Africa pushed temperatures to record highs across the UK and continental Europe. French authorities reported at least seven deaths due to the extreme weather conditions.

Scientists warn that extreme weather reflects the increasing impact of climate change on a rapidly warming continent. Weather forecasters in Europe warned of an unusual heatwave on May 26th as record temperatures caused by a "heat dome" pushed temperatures far above seasonal normals across the continent.

A scorching hot day blankets the area around Westminster Palace in London, England, on May 26, 2026 (AP Photo).

On May 26th, the United Kingdom also broke its temperature record for the second time in 100 years within a 24-hour period, with temperatures reaching 35°C at Kew Gardens in London and Heathrow Airport, according to the UK's Met Office. Preliminary figures surpassed the previous record of 32.8°C set in 1922 and 1944. London also experienced a rare "tropical night," with nighttime temperatures remaining above 20°C.

At least four teenagers have drowned in lakes and reservoirs across England while swimming to escape the heat, and a 60-year-old man drowned at sea off the southwest coast of the country.

Restrictions on outdoor work have been imposed in some parts of Italy, beaches in southwestern France are experiencing delays, and farmers are reporting earlier harvests as temperatures exceed 30°C across the region.

Temperatures in Spain are expected to peak, reaching 38°C, later this week.

Source: https://vtv.vn/nhieu-nguoi-thiet-mang-do-nang-nong-cuc-doan-o-phap-10026052707053191.htm